Tropical storms shouldn't disrupt Hawaii elections, support wanes for state-funded preschool, lieutenant governor candidates in dead heat, GMO motivates candidates, drone regulation sought, Maui mayor's seat safe, property taxes at issue, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hurricane Iselle, Tropical Storm Julio courtesy NOAA National Weather Service

A tropical storm expected to bring heavy rain and wind to Hawaii this week shouldn't significantly affect the state's primary election based on current weather forecasts. Associated Press.

Hurricane Iselle weakened slightly and Tropical Storm Julio maintained its intensity as both storms continued on a path toward Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Government officials kicked storm planning into a higher gear Monday as Hurricane Iselle appeared to be taking aim at the Hawaiian Islands and another powerful storm was following in its tracks. Star-Advertiser.

Nineteen Hawaii super PACs have spent more than $1 million in the current election season to sway voters and influence the state’s political atmosphere, according to the most recent campaign spending commission data. Civil Beat.

A nonpartisan candidate for the U.S. Senate is suing Hawaii television stations KHNL and KGMB for not allowing her to appear in a televised debate. Joy Allison of Waikoloa filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court on Friday. Associated Press.

With 5 days to go before the primary election, our Hawaii News Now/Star Advertiser Hawaii poll shows a dead heat between Shan Tsutsui and Clayton Hee in the Lieutenant Governor's race.

The race for the Democratic Party's nomination to be the state's next lieutenant governor is in a statistical dead heat, and could come down to last-minute appeals from the campaigns to swing a large number of undecided voters, according to one analyst. Star-Advertiser.

GMO Issue Spurs Candidates to Seek Election, But It’s Ugly Out There. Hawaii political observers are watching bellwether races on Kauai, Maui and the Big Island. Sentiments run high on both sides, and sometimes the campaigns get edgy. Civil Beat.

A majority of voters favors a constitutional amendment on the November ballot that would allow public money to be spent on private preschool, according to a new Hawaii Poll, but the degree of support has weakened since February. Star-Advertiser.

The Department of Veterans Affairs continues to whittle down the wait times for patients in the military medical system in Hawaii and other parts of the Pacific. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii's tourism industry is in a good position to match or break visitor arrival and spending records this year after gains in June and an expectation that airline capacity serving the state from North America will expand over the remainder of the year. Star-Advertiser.

State officials announced the successful sale of nearly $164 million in Highway Revenue Bonds, with an estimated $120 million to fund various highway projects, and more than $65 million allocated to refinance existing bonds for interest savings. Maui Now.

Pesky Drones Snap Photos on Private Property. Should a small model airplane with a camera on it be allowed to fly into your space and take pictures of you? Civil Beat.

Hawaii's first plan to address Alzheimer's disease and dementia forecasts effective prevention of Alz­hei­mer's by 2025 while calling on volunteer caregivers, health care professionals and others in the near term to step up training in the complicated issues tied to both conditions. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for August 5. Associated Press.

Oahu

A new proposal would allow residential owner-occupants on Oahu to petition the city for one-time property tax compromise bills if they got shoved into the new Residential A tax class, requiring them to pay at a much higher rate. Star-Advertiser.

A source within the State Senate has informed the Independent that State Senator Rosalyn Baker is the “chief legislative supporter of [Dr. Michele] Carbone,” the Director of the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center (UHCC) who has come under fire for his mismanagement of the center and for his unheard of amount of ethical and academic violations against his own researchers. Hawaii Independent.

The fierce elements brought on by hurricanes and tropical storms are a big threat to people who live in the elements. The efforts to warn and find homeless shelter is already underway. KITV4.

A Honolulu insurance agent has purchased nearly 30,000 square feet of vacant, foreclosed property in Kailua in Windward Oahu for about $2 million that could be redeveloped as apartments, retail, offices or assisted-living facilities. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

Incumbents are flexing their financial muscles in the Big Island state House and Senate races ahead of the primary election Saturday. With a few exceptions, those running for re-election are outspending and out-fundraising their opponents by large margins. Tribune-Herald.

Farmers taking advantage of county property tax breaks could soon be required to dedicate the land to farming for at least three years to qualify. West Hawaii Today.

The Center for Food Safety and Big Island organic farmers Rachel Laderman, Nancy Redfeather and Marilyn Howe are seeking to help Hawaii County defend its law restricting the use of genetically modified crops. Tribune-Herald.

Two Hawaii Island telescopes captured images of several eruptions that are changing scientists’ understanding of volcanic activity on Io, one of Jupiter’s moons. West Hawaii Today.

Maui
Five candidates are trying to unseat Mayor Alan Arakawa, a Hail Mary proposition that even Maui's most established politicians decided to take a pass on this year. Maui News.

Maui state Senate candidates are debating how to help local public hospitals amid news the Maui Memorial Medical Center will shut down its adolescent behavioral health unit to save money. Associated Press.

Life on Maui has changed, at least when it comes to trash collection. And you can blame it on budget cuts. Money problems are squeezing everything from trash pickups to hours of operation at county landfills. Hawaii Public Radio.

Kauai

Jay Furfaro has seen a number of issues come across his desk during the nearly 12 consecutive years that he has been on the Kauai County Council. Garden Island.

Hawaii’s tourism economy is on pace with last year’s record-breaking year in spending and arrivals, but Kauai saw fewer visitors and spending in June. Garden Island.

Tropical Storm Flossie updates

Tropical Storm Flossie at 10 a.m. Monday., July 29

Tropical Storm Flossie crosses the Hawaiian Islands. See most recent storm maps here.

A full range of maps and more here.

Hawaii braces for Tropical Storm Flossie: Abercrombie issues emergency proclamation, courthouses, government buildings closed, bus service canceled on Hawaii Island, more storm news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Tropical Storm Flossie at 2 a.m. Monday

Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed an emergency proclamation Sunday in preparation for Tropical Storm Flossie, which is expected to spread rain, wind, flooding and high surf throughout the state over the next two days. Star-Advertiser.

Residents and tourists across Hawaii were bracing for Tropical Storm Flossie, which forecasters said was weakening as it approached the state but still could bring heavy rains, strong winds and possibly even tornadoes. National Weather Service officials said they expect people on the Big Island and Maui to see the brunt of the storm Monday morning, with wind gusts up to 60 mph, possible flooding and waves up to 18 feet high. Associated Press.

Tropical Storm Flossie has weakened since the last update.  As of 5 a.m. on Monday, maximum sustained winds were measured at 45 miles per hour, according to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC) in Honolulu. Hawaii News Now.

Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect for Maui, Oʻahu, and Hawaiʻi Counties.  At 5 a.m., Kauaʻi and Niʻihau were added to the Warning area. Maui Now.

Hawaii iIsland and Maui are in the cross hairs this morning as the isles face the first direct hit from a tropical storm in more than 20 years. Star-Advertiser.

Forecasters at the Central Pacific Hurricane Center issued a tropical storm warning for Oahu Sunday and a tropical storm watch for Kauai as Tropical Storm Flossie closes in on Hawaii. Big Island and Maui County remain under a tropical storm warning. A statewide flash flood watch is also set to begin at 6 a.m. Monday. Civil Beat.

The U.S. Coast Guard closed ports on the Big Island and Maui and Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed an emergency proclamation Sunday as Tropical Storm Flossie continued on a path that forecast to take it through the Islands on Monday. Pacific Business News.

Here is the text of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's statement for Hawaii on Tropical Storm Flossie. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

The city Department of Emergency Management is advising Oahu residents that the just-issued tropical storm warning for the island means it is the time to get prepared for Flossie's expected arrival this afternoon. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

As rain began to fall in Hilo, Hawaii island Mayor Billy Kenoi and acting Civil Defense administrator Darryl Oliveira urged residents to stay vigilant as Tropical Storm Flossie began to weaken as it neared the Big Island. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii island Mayor Billy Kenoi announced all non-essential county workers are to stay home today as Tropical Storm Flossie sets its sights directly on the island. Kenoi made the decision Sunday afternoon after consulting with acting Civil Defense Administrator Darryl Oliveira at the Hilo Emergency Operations Center. Star-Advertiser.

Tropical Storm Flossie's impending arrival on Hawaii island this morning has forced the closure of the county bus system and state courthouses on the island. Mayor Billy Kenoi decided to shut down the county's Hele-On bus system as of midnight Sunday as a safety precaution. Star-Advertiser.


Tropical Storm Flossie was expected to make landfall along the Hamakua Coast around 6 a.m. today, bringing with it high winds, heavy surf, and torrential rains. Stephens Media.

About 85 families who were part of a Department of Hawaiian Home Lands-sponsored camping event at South Hilo’s Keaukaha Beach Park — many of whom have been there since the first week of June —  were told to vacate Sunday afternoon. Star-Advertiser.

Maui

The County of Maui activated its Emergency Operations Center at 7 a.m. on Sunday, July 28, 2013, in anticipation of Tropical Storm Flossie, which is due to reach the Hawaiian Islands on Monday morning. Maui News.

Kauai

State officials are urging residents across the state to be on alert and take immediate storm precautions as Tropical Storm Flossie takes a direct aim at Maui and the Big Island. Garden Island.

Hawaii GOP seeks probe of Senate president, Stryker Brigade to stay in Hawaii, Maui raises property taxes, clams coming to Kauai, Honolulu's Ala Wai studied, quiet hurricane season predicted, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Ala Wai (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Ala Wai Canal: A $100 Million Problem. Complete series on the history and future of the Ala Wai. Civil Beat.

The Central Pacific, which includes the Hawaiian Islands, probably will experience another season of below-average tropical cyclone activity, the Central Pacific Hurricane Center announced Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s hurricane forecasters are calling for a relatively quiet tropical cyclone season for the Central Pacific Ocean Basin. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii’s wet season, which runs from October through April, was the driest wet season in 30 years, the National Weather Service in Honolulu said Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

The head of the U.S. Army in the Pacific said Hawaii is expected to keep its 22,500 active-duty soldiers as the Army downsizes, but it makes sense to re-evaluate whether the Stryker Brigade should keep its 320 armored vehicles or revert to a light infantry unit without Strykers. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Republican Party on Wednesday urged the state Ethics Commission to investigate whether state Senate President Donna Mercado Kim violated the ethics code when she called the University of Hawaii president last spring about her son's law school application. Star-Advertiser.

Even if the Senate president did not exert pressure on the university president, Kim may have violated the State Ethics Code and the Senate's own rules with just the phone call itself. Civil Beat.

As the University of Hawaii searches for a new president, critics are revisiting concerns about the relatively few local hires in top positions at the university. Civil Beat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s office announced Wednesday that $48.3 million will be spent to improve public housing throughout Hawaii, including $25.8 million for non-routine repairs, maintenance and renovations statewide. Pacific Business News.

Two years after tests first indicated the presence of a sexually transmitted disease in a handful of Hawaii Island cattle, state officials imposed a statewide quarantine order requiring testing of new dairy and beef bulls brought to the state and moved from one herd to another. West Hawaii Today.

KHON-TV is advising viewers of the Fox network affiliate or its CW network affiliate via Oceanic Time Warner Cable that the stations may be blacked out for most of Hawaii on May 31 if negotiations for a new retransmission contract are not successful. Star-Advertiser.

State 5/22. Associated Press.

State roundup for May 23. Associated Press.

Oahu

A federal judge has refused to dismiss a lawsuit brought against the city of Honolulu by members of a protest group that has been camping on the sidewalks around Thomas Square. Star-Advertiser.

In the last three years, the University of Hawaii has spent $1.3 million on repairs and upgrades to College Hill, the presidents' home that UH President MRC Greenwood has chosen not to live in. Hawaii News Now.

The James Campbell Co. is looking to sell 516 acres of mostly undeveloped land in West Oahu known as Kapolei West, a potential mixed-use residential and commercial master-planned community that would connect the City of Kapolei with Ko Olina Resort. Pacific Business News.

The city's aging Neal S. Blaisdell Center could be a site of one of three proposed 700-foot residential towers under a draft plan proposed by a state agency regulating development in Kakaako. Star-Advertiser.

For the more than 20,000 people who live there, there’s only one way in and out of Mililani Mauka. After years of traffic headaches, there are some options on the table to ease the frustration. KHON2.

Hawaii

Hikes in property taxes, park fees, bus fares and vehicle registration and weight taxes will balance Mayor Billy Kenoi’s proposed $394.3 million 2013-14 budget, a 7.9 percent increase over this year. But there’s still a wild card in the mix: Two major public worker unions have yet to complete collective bargaining agreements. West Hawaii Today.

All the right factors need to be in place for Hawaii County to successfully convert Alii Drive to one-way traffic in the downtown area, community members and business stakeholders told officials Wednesday in North Kona. West Hawaii Today.

Last June, the Department of Education launched a small pilot program in Kona on the Big Island, testing just how well GPS tracking systems, with real-time data, would streamline bus service. And it worked beautifully. KITV4.

The Hilo Brewfest, scheduled for June 1 from 2-6 p.m., will take place on the grounds of the Wainaku Executive Center and will feature sample beers from 20 different breweries. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

A resolution that would increase property tax rates for majority of island residents and businesses was approved by the Maui County Council Wednesday morning. Maui News.

Maui Tea Partier In D.C.: IRS Scrutiny 'Chilling' Civil Beat.

Updated tsunami evacuation maps have been released by the Maui County Civil Defense Agency. Maui Now.

While developers of the 670-acre Honua'ula golf community have made efforts to meet a number of the 30 conditions set by the Maui County Council when the project's zoning was approved in 2008, some community groups said on Tuesday that many critical conditions have still not been met. Maui News.

Kauai
Community voices opposition to ‘danger zone’ Corps seeks larger safety area during live target practice. Garden Island.

For the first time in decades, the state Department of Health has approved the growing waters and sale of shellfish by a local grower. Health officials approved the permit for Sunrise Capital, doing business under the name Kauai Clams. Hawaii News Now.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources announced Friday the opening of archery, muzzleloading rifle and high-powered rifle hunting seasons for feral goats on the island of Kauai. Garden Island.

Arizona comes looking for Obama birth certificate, Hirono ducks debates, Honolulu parking meters accept credit cards, EPA to cap utility emissions in shadow of Kilauea, wetter weather next winter, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Obama birth certificate White House courtesy photo

Two men who identified themselves as being from the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office in Phoenix arrived at the state Department of Health on Monday, requesting verification of President Barack Obama's birth certificate, a state spokeswoman said. Star-Advertiser.

The so-called "birther" movement did not die off completely when President Barack Obama placed his "long-form" birth certificate on the White House website in April 2011. Civil Beat.

U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono on Monday declined an offer from Hawaii Pacific University to participate in a forum on Thursday with former congressman Ed Case in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. Star-Advertiser.

Ed Case has accepted an invitation by Hawaii Pacific University to debate Mazie Hirono this Thursday (May 24), with time and place yet to be determined. Civil Beat.

Former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann has picked up the endorsement of some Maui County executives, past and present. KHON2.

Honolulu City Councilwoman Tulsi Gabbard is officially seeking higher office. KHON2.

The deadline for the next round of campaign spending reports could move up a couple of weeks from the existing July 31 due date. Civil Beat.

The National Weather Service says Kauai and Oahu are more likely to recover from drought during the upcoming rainy season from October through April. Associated Press.

Rainfall during Hawaii's wet season was definitely wet for the western part of the state, but most areas of Maui, Molokai, Lanai and the Big Island of Hawaii had below normal rainfall, according to the National Weather Service. Hawaii News Now.

Drought lingered in West Hawaii through another dry winter and is returning this summer to more deeply ravaged, already water-stressed places. These next five months aren’t expected to bring any real reprieve, especially for leeward areas, said Kevin Kodama, senior hydrologist for the National Weather Service. West Hawaii Today.

Oahu

A state judge is scheduled to hear a request today by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser and other news organizations to argue for the release of defense documents and surveillance tapes filed by a State Department special agent charged in a fatal shooting at a McDonald's restaurant in Waikiki. Star-Advertiser.

New parking meters that accept credit and debit cards along with coins will be installed next month around the Civic Center, part of a pilot project to replace all meters on Oahu with the technology. Star-Advertiser.

No one can put up a tent in City parks on Oahu without a permit, under a law that went into effect last year. But a Honolulu City Council member is pushing for an exemption at Hanauma Bay. KHON2.

The developer of a proposed 12,000-home master-planned community in Ewa has asked state officials to delay Tuesday’s final decision on whether its project can move forward by a month. Civil Beat.

Schuler Homes LLC will ask the Hawaii Land Use Commission    for more time on its Hoopili project case. The LUC is expected to make a decision on Tuesday on the planned 11,750-home subdivision on 1,554 acres of land in Ewa. Pacific Business News.

More than 500 hotel workers at the Hyatt Regency Waikiki are in their second year of working without a contract. Hawaii Public Radio.

Charles Alan Pflueger, head of Pflueger Auto, one of the state’s largest auto dealerships, pleaded guilty on Friday in federal court to tax fraud after he cut a deal with prosecutors. Hawaii Reporter.

The Missile Defense Agency's 280-foot-tall Sea-Based X-Band Radar returned to Ford Island on Monday after being at sea during North Korea's failed April 13 rocket test. Star-Advertiser.

A state work crew on Monday began picking up large and tiny remnants of a floating dock system that washed ashore at Kalaeloa last weekend and turned a leaf blower into a vacuum cleaner to collect the smallest bits of Styrofoam from endangered plants and tide pools. Star-Advertiser.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources mobilized quickly Monday to remove large amounts of Styrofoam that washed ashore on Feedlot Beach at Campbell Industrial Park about a week ago. KITV4.

Hawaii has known of Genshiro Kawamoto for nearly a quarter century now, but still little is known about the famously reclusive real estate mogul. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposes to cap emissions at three Hawaii Island electrical plants to improve visibility at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, even as Kilauea continues to be the largest contributor to haze on the island. West Hawaii Today.

A renewable energy company that plans to burn locally grown eucalyptus trees to generate 10 percent of th Big Island's electricity needs signed an agreement Monday to sell the power to Hawaii Electric Light Co. Star-Advertiser.

Hu Honua Bioenergy took another big step toward the start of operations with the announcement Monday that it has signed a power purchase agreement with Hawaii Electric Light Co. Tribune-Herald.

Big Island and State briefs. Associated Press.

Maui

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals plans to return to Maui for its annual conference in August, but unlike its 2010 meeting this one is raising eyebrows on the heels of the General Services Administration scandal over a lavish 2010 conference in Las Vegas. Star-Advertiser.

An upcoming conference on Maui involving federal judges from throughout the western U.S. and its island territories has two Republican senators trying to disrobe the event as being too lavish for taxpayers. Civil Beat.

On average, Maui residents can expect to pay about 4 percent more for water under a proposed rate increase for the county Department of Water Supply, department Director Dave Taylor said Friday. Maui News.

Mokulele Airlines is expanding its interisland operations by returning service between Honolulu and Kapalua Airport in West Maui for the first time in three years. Star-Advertiser.

A $26 million project to widen Piilani Highway from two to four lanes between Kilohana and Wailea Iki drives is moving ahead as a collaboration between the state Department of Transportation and developers of the Makena Resort and Honua'ula projects in South Maui. Maui News.

Kauai and Maui will receive $400,000 to create 20 temporary positions dedicated to the cleanup and repair of public structures, homes and land damaged by the heavy rains that inundated Hawaii in March, Senator Daniel K. Inouye, Senator Daniel K. Akaka, U.S. Representative Mazie K. Hirono and U.S. Representative Colleen Hanabusa announced today. Hawaii Reporter.

Kauai
Agriculture is alive and well on the Garden Isle. Pacific Business News.

Officials announced on Monday that Kaua‘i and Maui will get a combined $400,000 to clean up damage from heavy storms that hit Hawai‘i in March. Garden Island.

United States Coast Guard Senior Chief Boatswain’s Mate Buddy Gilbert never realized how fast four years would pass. Garden Island.

Hawaii homelessness plan released, new lawsuit threatened on political maps, Tax Department probe widens, pension gap swells as workers spike payments, mobile health van coming to Big Island, Kauai shows no aloha to stranded Colorado couple, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu homeless (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

State officials have drafted a plan discussing how to end homelessness in Hawaii. West Hawaii Today.

New political boundary maps the state Reapportionment Commission approved unanimously Thursday could wind up in court again. Star-Advertiser.

The state Reapportionment Commission gave final approval Thursday to new political boundary maps for state House and Senate districts. Star-Advertiser.

Commission Gives Unanimous Support to Reapportionment Plan. Civil Beat.

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta put on a smile just a day after testifying about the United States' plans to help the people of Syria. KITV4.

Several top managers at the State Tax Department are among 14 employees under investigation for possible criminal wrongdoing in a probe that has lasted nearly three months, sources said. Hawaii News Now.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, which oversees the exploration and development of the nation’s offshore energy and mineral resources, met with Hawaii officials this week for the first time to talk about existing regulatory processes and how best to complement the state’s Clean Energy Initiative. Pacific Business News.

One of Gov. Neil Abercrombie's appointments to the Hawaii Community Development Authority is an engineer whose family and business contacts were top donors to Abercrombie's campaign. Star-Advertiser.

Despite piles of opposition testimony from out-of-state owners of Hawaii vacation rentals, the Hawaii Legislature has advanced two measures that require non-resident owners to hire local property managers. Civil Beat.

House committees heard testimony Thursday about a group of bills that some worry could weaken state environmental law, while others say they're necessary to spur development. KHON2.

The nation's largest independent union of federal employees has honored U.S Sen. Daniel Akaka of Hawaii for his support of federal workers. Associated Press.

The gap between the pension benefits promised to Hawaii's public workers and the money set aside to pay for them has swelled 14 percent in one year, according to a valuation report released Thursday. Civil Beat.

Of 5,000 state and county employees who retired since 2009, 674 of them substantially boosted their pension benefits by a practice called “spiking,” a state senate investigating committee was told today. Hawaii Reporter.

Excessive overtime by Hawaii public employees has again become an issue this legislative session. Civil Beat.

Groups with ideas on how to improve access to the legal system for women and children have more time to submit those ideas for grant funding in Hawaii. Hawaii Public Radio.

State roundup for March 8. Associated Press.

Russell Kokubun

 Oahu
Among the influential voices in the debate over the Ho'opili project: Russell Kokubun, the former politician and now director of the state Department of Agriculture who was himself a Big Island farmer, going back a quarter century. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie's vision for an urban village in Kakaako has come into greater focus as the state Legislature advances a potential $200 million land settlement with the state Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Star-Advertiser.

After heavy rains, Oahu's roadways become pockmarked with potholes as water tears into the hot asphalt mix from earlier repairs. KITV4.

Hawaii

Basic medical care will soon roll into rural south Hawaii communities that face limited access to doctors and nurses. West Hawaii Today.

Mayor Billy Kenoi is leading a 14-member delegation to a sister city the Philippines later this month for a cost of $30,000 to the county. Tribune-Herald.

Members of the commission charged with drawing County Council district lines would have to sit out one election cycle for council, under a charter amendment advanced Thursday by the council’s Governmental Relations Committee. West Hawaii Today.

Two council members expressed frustration Thursday with the county’s fair share system of tapping developers for contributions to roads and other infrastructure during a presentation showing developers would be chipping in only $3 million of a $171.9 million capital improvement budget next fiscal year. West Hawaii Today.

King Kamehameha Hotel is new and improved after last year's tsunami. KHON2.

Maui

Maui residents will have a chance Friday outside Foodland on South Kihei Road to take a test ride in an electric car, like a Chevy Volt or Nissan LEAF, and learn how to use the new electric charging station there. Maui News.

There may only be about 50 electric cars on Maui today, said Anne Ku, director of the University of Hawaii Maui College's new Maui Electric Vehicle Alliance, but alternative-energy investors are banking on big jumps in the number of these more powerful and less expensive cars on Valley Isle streets soon. Maui News.

Maui resident, Michael Champley was confirmed today by the Hawaii State Senate as the newest commissioner for the state Public Utilities Commission. Maui Now.

With 213 tables of demographics and statistics, the Maui County Data Book is a treasure trove of up-to-date information valuable to business and government. Maui Now.

Kauai

An elderly Colorado couple stranded on Kauai because of a canceled flight was ordered Tuesday out of Lihue Airport and into a stormy night and wound up sleeping on the concrete floor of a shelter. Star-Advertiser.

After two hearings this week, 5th Circuit Court decided the Lara Butler-Brady horse cruelty case will be turned over to the state Attorney General. Garden Island.

County officials are urging property owners who sustained damages as a result of the recent flooding to file a claim for remission of taxes on their real property. Garden Island.

Hundreds of bills survive legislative crossover, commission still tinkering with political maps, disaster declared for rain-soaked islands, HGEA endorses Hannemann, Kenoi, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii state Capitol (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

Job creation and economic development remain key priorities as lawmakers near the midway point of the 2012 legislative session. Associated Press.

Both House and Senate on Tuesday managed to plow through hundreds of bills that faced a Thursday deadline. Civil Beat.

State lawmakers Tuesday maintained their focus on economic recovery while they awaited word on whether projected revenue growth will be enough to keep the state budget on track. Star-Advertiser.

As rains pounded down on the state Capitol, members of the House of Representatives hunkered down in a marathon session that saw passage of nearly 300 bills to be sent along for further consideration by the Senate. Hawaii Reporter.

Ahead of the First Crossover deadline,  the Hawaii State Senate passed 372 Senate Bills at its session today.  The bills now head over to the House for consideration. Hawaii Reporter.

House lawmakers today passed 286 measures ahead of Thursday’s first cross-over deadline.  The bills focus on priority areas of economic revitalization and business, agriculture, military affairs, and healthcare. Maui Now.

The state Reapportionment Commission unveiled Tuesday new boundary lines for Oahu House districts to deal with objections from critics who argued the latest lines divided communities and were favorable to current leadership in the House. Star-Advertiser.

The state Reapportionment Commission on Tuesday again revised proposed political boundaries for Oahu House districts and scheduled a final vote for Thursday. Civil Beat.

Proposed voting district maps have changed  again. KHON2.

The Hawaii State Senate Special Committee on Accountability has scheduled a hearing focused on salary and wage over-payments to state employees. Maui Now.

Hawaii moved closer Tuesday to the creation of an interisland electric grid that would be capable of transmitting renewable energy between islands. Civil Beat.

Mufi Hannemann (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

The Hawaii Government Employees Association, the state's largest public-sector union, has endorsed Mufi Hannemann in the race for Hawaii's 2nd Congressional District, representing rural Oahu and the neighbor islands. The union also is backing Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi in his re-election bid. Star-Advertiser.

 Mayor Billy Kenoi (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

The state Senate on Tuesday passed Senate Bill 2967, which seeks to establish a separate collective bargaining unit for Ocean and Water Safety Officers. Garden Island.

The House of Representatives today passed a measure through its third reading that would award people who blow the whistle on those who fail to pay their fair share of taxes in the State of Hawaii. KHON2.

The state House has quietly advanced a measure that would make disorderly and contemptuous behavior at the Legislature a petty misdemeanor. KHON2.

The Hawaii State Senate today gave unanimous approval to a bill that would suspend landing fees for air carriers that provide interisland service to six rural airports in Hawaii. Maui Now.

A bill that would make chronic pain a qualifying condition under Hawaii’s medical marijuana law has been passed by the state Senate, while another that would eliminate chronic pain as a qualifying condition is dead for this year’s legislative session. Tribune-Herald.

Dozens of kids from all over the state are taking on big tobacco companies in the "Youth Unite for Kick Butts Day Rally."  They gathered outside the state capitol to urge lawmakers to crack down on cigarette companies that go after the youth.  Hawaii News Now.

More than $1 million in coastal hazard research grant money is available to communities throughout the Pacific Islands region to help plan for, respond to and recover from coastal storms. KITV4.

Oahu

The state will hire an investigator to look into concerns over how Wai­pahu High School administrators responded, including reportedly failing to call police, after a student told them she had been sexually assaulted by her coach. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu's leading rail opponents argue that the public has been hoodwinked into believing that traffic congestion will be better than it is today if the project is built. Civil Beat.

Keahole Solar Power LLC has signed a contract with Hawaiian Electric Co. that commits the utility to buy power from Keahole's planned 5-megawatt solar farm in Kalaeloa in leeward Oahu. Pacific Business News.

Heavy rains pounded the east side of Honolulu today as the Department of Environmental Services responded to two sanitary sewer overflows. Hawaii Independent.

Hawaii

Bankruptcy filings are declining again in Hawaii, a federal bankruptcy judge says. West Hawaii Today.

Pahoa to celebrate gym opening. Tribune-Herald.

Farmers, educators, agricultural experts and novices alike Tuesday in Kailua-Kona delved into the multitude of challenges and opportunities facing Hawaii’s agricultural industry. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Things appeared to be running smoothly at Maui County's Service Center on Monday on the first day that stricter requirements for renewing, reinstating and applying for a Hawaii driver's license took effect. Maui News.

Voters will get to decide whether the county's Division of Ocean Safety should merge with the Maui Fire Department, after members of the Charter Commission decided Monday to put the proposal on ballots this fall. Maui News.

Sharon M. Suzuki has been named to succeed the retiring Ed Reinhardt as president of Maui Electric Co. as of May 1. Maui News.

Kauai

Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed a disaster proclamation for Kaua‘i and O‘ahu Tuesday morning as rains continued to fall on portions of the drenched islands. Garden Island.

Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. has declared a disaster for his county after several days of heavy rains caused roads to flood and sewage to spill. Associated Press.

Grove Farm Co. has extended the eviction deadline for Koloa Camp tenants, giving them 30 more days before they have to move from their Kauai homes. Star-Advertiser.

Grove Farm announced Tuesday it is providing a 30-day extension of its eviction of Koloa Camp residents. Garden Island.

Park fees for Akaka Falls, Hilo radio station among first to gag Limbaugh, big bill day for Hawaii Legislature, Abercrombie signs emergency declaration as rain pelts islands, tobacco fund raided, National Guard musters, more Hawaii news

Akaka Falls (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

The Division of State Parks has initiated a new five-year contract with Makai Parking Inc. for the collection of entry fees at Akaka Falls State Park. West Hawaii Today.

New West Broadcasting announced today that it is discontinuing the Rush Limbaugh program on KPUA AM 670 in Hilo, Hawaii effective immediately. KPUA.

Hilo radio station KPUA-AM 670 was among the first in the nation to pull the plug on the nationally syndicated Rush Limbaugh talk radio show after Limbaugh called Georgetown University law school student Sandra Fluke a "slut" and a "prostitute." Star-Advertiser.

Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich and U.S. Rep. Ron Paul will be on the ballot in Hawaii March 13 as the state Republican Party hosts its first-ever presidential caucuses. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Diverts Millions In Tobacco Settlement Funds. KITV4.

Job creation and economic development remain key priorities as lawmakers near the midway point of the 2012 legislative session. Associated Press.

House Bill 1033, which, according to House Minority Leader Gene Ward, recently had its contents “gutted and replaced” by House Finance Chair Marcus Oshiro, would create a state bank that would put Gov. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawaii, as its chairman. Hawaii Reporter.

Months after pulling its most-favored-nation card, the Hawaii Government Employees Association has gotten the state to equalize pay benefits for some of its members, matching deals struck with the United Public Workers union. Civil Beat.

The state Department of Attorney General said it wrote off salary over payments of 260 current and former state employees worth $882,639 between 2001 and 2010. Hawaii News Now.

University of Hawaii at Manoa professors are raising concerns about the loss of a federally funded fisheries cooperative, which will move to UH-Hilo, leaving the system's flagship campus without a fisheries program. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Department of Education won't be taking over statewide school bus operations anytime soon, based on what officials have learned from an emergency takeover of 12 school bus routes in Kailua-Kona seven years ago. Civil Beat.

State senators are marking Education Week by inviting students to submit questions over email, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook. KHON2.

The Hawaii Geographic Coordinating Council launched its 3-day conference today … looking at how we can solve problems using digital data available on the internet …which increases tenfold every 5 years. Hawaii Public Radio.

The 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the Hawaii Army National Guard were told to prepare for possible deployment. KHON2.

Oahu

The primary election is about five months away, and the controversial Honolulu rail project is as unpopular as it's ever been. Civil Beat.

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation has a long way to go if it wants to win the confidence of Honolulu voters. Civil Beat.

Daniel Grabauskas appears to be already hard at work for HART, the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation , even though he was just named the rail transit agency’s executive director last week. Pacific Business News.

Historic Designation Adds Red Tape To Tantalus Projects. KITV4.

Hawaii

While a majority of county departments are seeing their budgets shrink for the coming fiscal year, some will have moderate increases. Tribune-Herald.

Five sparkling new Chevy Volt electric cars had been set aside at a Hilo dealership even before an invitation for bid for electric cars went out from Hawaii County government last week. And, they’re in Mayor Billy Kenoi’s preferred color. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii County Finance Director Nancy Crawford has canceled purchase orders totaling $42,499 that Council Chairman Dominic Yagong had issued to outside attorneys to represent the legislative branch in grievances with fired Elections Office employees. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii County police seized $18,207 in cash, 17 illegal video gambling machines and gambling records in a raid an on alleged gambling room in Kona Friday, police said. Associated Press.

Maui

Maui Electric Company has appointed Sharon M. Suzuki as the company’s next president. Maui Now.

The median price of a single-family home on Maui jumped nearly 22 percent in February, going from $440,000 last year to $535,000 last month. Pacific Business News.

Melanie Boudar sent over at least 600 pounds of chocolate to the Philadelphia International Flower Show last week. Maui News.

Kauai

Disaster declaration follows sewage spill, evacuations and road, school closures. Garden Island.

Governor Abercrombie signed a disaster proclamation on Friday authorizing the state Department of Transportation to begin emergency highway repair work on Kuhio Highway near Kilauea town on Kaua'i in response to a partial collapse of a 15-foot-diameter culvert running beneath the highway.  KHON2.

Kaua‘i Acting Deputy Police Chief Mark Begley was named to the Wireless Enhanced 911 Board to oversee the development, integration and maintenance of services statewide. Garden Island.

No 4th Senate seat for Big Island, Abercrombie pushes for newer day in Hawaii, Djou off to war, then to congressional campaign, Oahu electric bills rise, water for Maui, buses for Kauai, humane society for Molokai and all the island news

Gov. Neil Abercrombie courtesy photo

Following up on his promises of change, Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie said Wednesday he's delivering results. Associated Press.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie, in a status report on the state’s financial condition, said Wednesday that the state has closed a sizable budget deficit but faces an “undeniable storm” of fiscal challenges that could upend the state’s economic foundation. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie summoned state leaders to Washington Place Wednesday afternoon to tell them that, despite having closed a $214 million deficit for fiscal year 2011, serious budget challenges lie ahead. Civil Beat.

Most Hawaii Departments Spared in $50M 'Restructuring' Cuts. Bulk of savings will come from cheaper health contracts, delaying new debt. Civil Beat.

Seven months after taking office, Governor Neil Abercrombie updated the health of Hawaii's government. KITV4.

Governor Neil Abercrombie says a recent fiscal crisis has been averted, but that more trouble looms ahead. KHON2.

Gov. Abercrombie's Address Aug. 17, 2011. KITV.

Republican Charles Djou said Wednesday he will attempt to retake the congressional seat he lost last year, even though he's being deployed to Afghanistan next month. Associated Press.

Former congressman Charles Djou launched a new bid for Congress on Wednesday with a call for bipartisanship, but the U.S. Army reservist said he would not campaign until late March, when he returns from deployment to Afghanistan. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Reapportionment Commission voted 8-1 Wednesday to include nonresident members of the military and their dependents along with nonresident students and incarcerated felons in the state's population base for the purposes of redrawing political boundaries, with some members citing the inability to accurately extract nonresidents from the population base as their primary reason for including them. Star-Advertiser.

Military data doesn't match Census data, commission finds. Civil Beat.

Representatives from University of Hawaii at Hilo presented the argument for the Thirty Meter Telescope for a third day, with nerves beginning to fray over the pace of the hearing. Tribune-Herald.

Tropical Storm Fernanda moved into the Central Pacific just below hurricane strength overnight with forecasters predicting a weakened storm passing safely south of the islands early next week. Star-Advertiser.

Just think about the possibilities that could come with $510 million in new funding for biofuels production in Hawaii. Pacific Business News.

Residential electric rates on Oahu rose to a record high in August, reflecting rising fuel costs and an interim rate hike that Hawaiian Electric Co. began collecting late last month. Star-Advertiser.

It will be another month before the Hawaii County Council renders a decision on updating the island's building code. West Hawaii Today.

Real property tax payments are due on Monday and Maui owners who miss the deadline risk losing their homeowner's exemption. Hawaii Reporter.

The director of Maui’s Department of Water Supply says it’s up to the County Council to set the direction for renewing and expanding the island’s water sources and infrastructure. Hawaii Public Radio.

The Maui County Council was presented three scenarios of the future of the Department of Water Supply on Tuesday. Maui News.

A six-month pilot program to encourage Kaua‘i Community College students to ride The Kaua‘i Bus was launched at the KCC campus in Puhi. Garden Island.

The Molokai Humane Society has experienced an overhaul this year. Molokai Dispatch.

Flags at government buildings around the state will be flown at half staff on Thursday to honor a Big Island Marine killed in Afghanistan. Hawaii News Now.

The latest on the Honolulu rail will be discussed Thursday as city leaders take another look at the $1.5 billion rail contract awarded to Ansaldo Honolulu. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii storms wreak havoc, school days cut, Maui budget cuts mayor's big increases, Samoa leaving island time, more news from the Hawaiian Islands

Unsettled weather with locally heavy rains and the threat for thunderstorms will continue over the islands through Tuesday. KHON2.

Flash flood warnings persisted into Sunday evening as heavy showers lingered over most of the Garden Isle, forcing the closure of the Hanalei Bridge and impacting Mother’s Day events. Garden Island.

Kainaliu businesses and nonprofits spent Saturday cleaning up inches of water and mud that filled their stores during heavy rains on Friday. West Hawaii Today.

Many people dream about retiring and enjoying their golden years, but a growing number of Hawaii seniors must work longer or come out of retirement just to make ends meet. Hawaii News Now.

Some relief from suffocating gas prices will likely arrive just in time for summer vacation. Expect a drop of nearly 50 cents as early as June, analysts say. Associated Press.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed into law yesterday Senate Bill 651, the Legislature’s comprehensive response to the foreclosure issue facing Hawaii families. Hawaii Independent.

For the last three years, the Hawai’i State Center for Nursing has been leading a project that uses the expertise of nurses to improve patient care. Hawaii Public Radio.

The Legislature did not pass a $2 million budget request for security expenses related to the upcoming Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Conference, but officials of Gov. Abercrombie’s administration are refusing all comment about the issue. Hawaii Reporter.

With a new chairman at the Hawaiian Homes Commission, officials are taking a fresh look at ways to provide homes or homestead lots to the nearly 21,000 people on the residential waiting list. Star-Advertiser.

The amount of instructional time offered at elementary schools statewide varies widely —from 41⁄3 to six hours on average each day — but there appears to be no correlation between campuses with shorter school days and those meeting annual learning benchmarks, new state data show. Star-Advertiser.

More public schools throughout Hawaii are dropping traditional summer sessions from their schedule. Associated Press.

$1.2 million UHH telescope still not working. Tribune-Herald.

Maui County Council members reached an agreement late Friday night on a budget that would cut Mayor Alan Arakawa's spending request for 2012 by almost 11 percent. Maui News.

Today council members will be back in their seats at chambers in Nawiliwili to review Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr.’s supplemental budget, submitted Thursday. Garden Island.

A newly discovered mineral has been named krotite in honor of University of Hawaii at Manoa researcher Alexander N. Krot. Associated Press.

Traffic relief is on the way for people who drive through Makakilo. KHON2.

Veterans Affairs officials are independently evaluating radiation levels at their Hilo outpatient clinic. Tribune-Herald.

The state Legislature has bailed out a proposed Ka'u biofuel project after the Public Utilities Commission ruled Hawaii Electric Light Co. couldn't spread a rate hike over customers on other islands to help pay for it. West Hawaii Today.

Century-old seawalls along the Gold Coast on Oahu's southern shore are breaking down, and nobody wants to step up and fix them. Civil Beat.

Samoa plans to leap 24 hours into the future, erasing a day and putting a new kink in the Pacific's jagged international date line so that it can be on the same weekday as Australia, New Zealand and eastern Asia. Associated Press.

Earlier this week, Aqua Hotels & Resorts announced it would offer a special discount to guests who produce their birth certificates upon check-in at one of the chain’s hotels on Oahu, Maui, Kauai and Molokai. Pacific Business News